The Waiting: A Supernatural Thriller(9)
“Did you know Jason’s grandparents very well?” Evan asked.
Jacob shook his head. “Not very. I’d stop out here from time ta time with Ray, but I never knew his parents more than the passing hello.”
Evan nodded, and looked at the island again. The pontoon moved closer to the landmass and Jacob idled the engine down. The outline of a house became clearer above an old dock sticking out into the water like a rude tongue. The house was large, with an attached three-season porch at one end and wide windows cut into its sides. A musical tinkle played on the breeze, and he saw swaying wind chimes attached to the porch’s closest end. Several tall oaks towered over the structure on either side, their branches newly budded with leaves. A gently sloping hill covered in fine grass rolled down to the edge of the property, where it met the lapping waves on a manicured beach. A small, canopied boatlift held a miniature version of the pontoon they rode in, and an aluminum boat lay belly-up near the sand, like some kind of silver fish out of water.
“It’s beautiful,” Evan said.
Shaun jerked excitedly on his lap. “Dere?”
“Yep, buddy, that’s where we’re headed.”
Jacob steered the pontoon to the left side of the dock. Evan spun in his seat and reached out, catching one of the dock’s steel supports, and held on until Jacob climbed out and secured the craft with a few ropes. The gentle rush of waves washing onto the beach was so calming, Evan imagined sitting in the pontoon with Shaun on his lap all day. He was sure they could watch the water run onto the sand and slide away again without ever getting bored.
“What would you like brought out first?” Jacob called from the dock.
“Shaun’s chair, then he can sit in the shade while we unload.”
Jacob nodded and hauled the medical seat, which was equipped with several straps to help keep Shaun upright along with wheels. Evan carried his son to the front of the pontoon and opened the side door, then stepped onto the dock. After positioning Shaun in his chair beneath the shade of a large pine, he helped Jacob unload the pontoon. As he carried a large suitcase up the hill toward the house, Jacob called to him, making him turn back.
“I hope you’ll forgive me, I’ve got ta get back ta the shop, but I’ll unload everythin’ onta the dock fer ya.”
Evan hesitated, a frown attempting to darken his face, then nodded. “That’s fine, Jacob, we really appreciate it.”
Jacob continued stacking their belongings upon the dock in an ever-growing pile. Within a few minutes the pontoon was empty, and Evan helped untie the craft from the dock’s moorings.
He held out a twenty-dollar bill to Jacob, who immediately waved it away. “You have to take it,” Evan said, pushing the money at the older man again.
“No, I don’t,” Jacob said, smiling. “That’s the nice thing about bein’ yer own boss. I’ll settle fer a handshake and maybe a beer next time yer in town. How’s that?”
Evan finally relented and shoved the money into his pocket, then shook Jacob’s outstretched hand. “Sounds like a deal, and thank you again.”
“No problem, boyo. Keep yer daddy in line, eh, Shaun?” Jacob waved at the boy.
Shaun raised a hand, kicked his feet, and smiled.
“Take care, now,” Jacob said, as Evan pushed the pontoon away from the dock.
Soon the motor purred to life, and the boat as well as its captain grew smaller and smaller across the waves.
Evan turned back to the island, surveying the lush forest on the acreage, listening to the wind cutting through the trees, and breathing in the scent of fresh water and pine needles. Shaun waved at him, and he waved back before picking up one of their bags. When he glanced over his shoulder, Jacob had disappeared from sight.
They were alone.
5
A musty blast of air swept past Evan’s face when he opened the door to the house.
Like a crypt opening.
He shook his head, forcing the odd thought away. Hefting Shaun into a better position, he nudged the door open and stepped inside.
They were in a small entryway, with a closet directly opposite them. To the left, a living room opened into a wide space interspersed with comfortable-looking leather furniture. An entertainment center stood against the far wall, with a large flat-screen TV above it. The bank of windows in the room overlooking the lake were dusty but gave a great view of the yard and water.
Evan walked farther into the house, pausing every so often to take in a painting on the wall or a knickknack standing on a shelf. Past the living room was the kitchen, modest and clean, with a long, wooden table in its center. A fridge stood beside a small dishwasher, and another series of windows looked over the backyard, which was more overgrown than the front, hemmed in by trees that obscured the lake from view save a shimmer here and there between their trunks. To the right of the kitchen were two doors.
“Let’s see what’s in here, buddy,” Evan said, and grasped the handle of the door on the left.
It was the master bedroom, a neatly made bed in its center and a walk-in closet off to one side. The windows faced the woods to the south, their growth even thicker than those in the backyard.
A wave of self-consciousness rolled over him as he looked at Jason’s grandparents’ bedroom, as if they would come through the front door any moment and catch him and Shaun intruding in their private space. He shut the door, stanching the invasive feeling.